Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon Hero Essay

This passage pretty much explains Beowulf's courage without an interpretation. Beowulf is saying that he has no fear in fighting this monster, because he has too much pride to stand and not run. Beowulf also says that no one else could do what he did, no one could defeat the dragon, or no one would even think about it for that matter. Beowulf also boasts about his bravery and what he has done

Not only is Beowulf honorable and well respected, he is brave as well. His courage is shown by not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane’s enemies. By being self-assured, Beowulf is able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me.”(ll. 2511-2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying, “When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster.”(ll. 2525-2534). In his actions, Beowulf’s bravery is clearly shown throughout the poem.

Beowulf’s strength is exemplified many times in the story. Beowulf was said to have “the strength of thirty men in his mighty handgrip.” He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he lost a swimming match with his opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel’s mother, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster’s neck with a giant sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with no difficulty, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Heorot. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf’s heroism.

To begin, a cultural truth admired by the Anglo-Saxon is courage in battle because it is a trait of a good warrior in the eyes of Anglo-Saxon people. Courage in battle is the ability to not be afraid of the enemy, be strong, and brave. Beowulf shows his above average strength and courage in battle when he is going to battle Grendel: “When it comes to battle, I count myself/ as dangerous any day as Grendel,/ … No weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me/ if face me he dares” (Beowulf 677-685). In this quote Beowulf states and declares his abandonment of weapons, as well as his belief that he is as strong as Grendel, so he will fight him without a weapon. This shows Beowulf’s courage in battle because it displays his tremendous strength and boldness by going to fight a monster with no weapons, which demonstrates that he is not

Fear is a painful emotion excited by the expectation of evil. In “Beowulf”, translated by Charles W. Kennedy, fear is not an option, or emotion, nor does it even exist for the hero. The hero, Beowulf, is also given strength equivalent to thirty men. These things are demonstrated in the tale of the most celebrated hero of Anglo-Saxon times, Beowulf. A man, of which people loved and respected throughout the entire region where he lived. He made the people feel that they had someone to rely on through times in which failure seemed unavoidable. Beowulf, from the epic poem “Beowulf”, is an extremely courageous hero and confronts his many difficult battles without fear.

Part of the reason Beowulf is very well-known is that he has larger-than-life strength, more than that of any man. When he talks to King Hrothgar, he boasts: “They have seen my strength for themselves, have watched me rise from the darkness of war, dripping with my enemies’ blood. I drove five great giants into chains, chased all of that race from the earth. I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned.” (Unknown, 246-254) This shows that Beowulf has overcome many trials with his strength, and that unlike any other man, he has proven to be able to overcome the impossible. While Beowulf is fighting with Grendel the story says that Grendel “Twisted in

In Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf, courage is undoubtedly the most important trait a man could have. The Geats thrived for 50 years under the powerful and courageous reign of King Beowulf. However, the Danes suffered through twelve winters under Grendel because of King Hrothgar’s fear. The strength and bravery of a strong leader and warrior can lead many countries to peace and power. Throughout Beowulf, many characters exhibit courage, which increases their morale on the battlefield and leads to victory.

We learn in the the story more about Beowulf’s great strength and killed Grendel with his hands. We learn even more about his strength where it says how he killed Grendel’s mother with a massive sword. It elaborates even more about the sword in the story, as it says no ordinary man would

Leyerle characterizes Beowulf’s bravery by putting the needs of others above himself only to smile back at death. Beowulf having to already fight something larger than himself, he challenges Grendel to a hand to hand combat: “No weapons, therefore for either this night; unarmed [Grendel] shall face me if he dares” (682-85). Beowulf’s personal valor could only be demonstrated by the willingness to engage in combat. This article can help clarify the reasons why Beowulf should have only act on reason and doubt rather than human tendencies such as pride and

The Hero of the Anglo-Saxon Period In every culture, there are certain standards set forth for heroes. The epic poem Beowulf, renders a legendary hero.

“That I, alone and with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall.” (48) Beowulf is one man who embodies the ideals of an epic hero, but what is a hero? In this case, a hero is someone who embodies qualities such as bravery, selflessness, courage, and so much more. He is someone who usually is not afraid to put others lives before his own, especially while on a quest.

Heroism A hero is someone who is idolized for what they have done during their lifetime. Many people have their own heroes, such as, their parents or athletes who have done something for their favorite team. In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf is a hero because he is brave, loyal, and has inhuman strength.

Beowulf reveals tremendous bravery in each of his battles, but exceptional fearlessness is displayed in his fight against a dragon to defend the people of his kingdom Beowulf is very old at the time of this battle, so he knows the chances of him being able to defeat the dragon and survive are very slim, despite the unlikelihood of his victory, Beowulf still chooses to fight. As king, Beowulf abides to the norms of Anglo-Saxon culture and feels that he must be the one to lead his men to battle no matter what the cost. All of Beowulf's

Beowulf is a true Anglo-Saxon hero who ruled for 50 years, and was the noblest of all warriors across the lands. Throughout this essay Beowulf illustrates three important motives that show he is an Anglo-Saxon hero. He embodies national ideas-- honor, loyalty, and a valor in battle with his bravery. Beowulf, the Anglo-saxon warrior of the poem, exhibits great honor in everything he does. Before Beowulf quarrels with Grendel, Beowulf “took off the helmet and handed his attendant/ the patterned sword” (Beowulf 10.672-673).

When Beowulf arrives to the land of the Danes, as soon as they dock and get off of their ship Beowulf shows his courage instantly by taking the lead and explaining to the guards that watched out for raiders and enemy ships approaching who they were and where they were from so that they may advance to the Heorot which he had heard much about. After they get inside Heorot Beowulf truly shows his courage when he tells Hrothgar about all of the triumphs he had when he was younger and how when he heard of their problem with Grendel and how he planned to be a match for him so that he could be the one to bring peace back to Heorot. He also explains how he isn't afraid of death because if he is going to die it will happen whether he wants it to or not and by doing this he gives king Hrothgar peace by knowing that he is courageous enough to take on this challenge and not be afraid by the terror that his people have been facing for the last 12 years.